Printing press



March 1960 J. R BAUMGARTNER ETAL 2,929,317

PRINTING PRESS 6 Sheets-Sheet l Filed DeG. 24, 1957 NVENTORS BY Qu in $4M March 1960 J. R. BAUMGARTNER ET AL 2,929,317

PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 24, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TORS QLMAN FM 22, 1960 J. R. BAUMGARTNER ETAL 2,929,317

PRINTING PRESS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 24,.1957

R I /VENTORS 'glwuemw March 1950 J. R. BAUMGARTNER ETAL 2,929,317

PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 24, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS MK. F 5. '7 BY 6 I Qua/19mm I A'H s March 1960 J. R. BAUMGARTNER ETAL 2,929,317

PRINTING PRESS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 24, 1957 o mm, Pm

John R. Baumgartner and Peter Zernov, Milwaukee, Wis,

assignors to Mercury Engineering Corporation, Mllwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 24, 1957, Serial No. 705,659

8 Claims. ((Jl. 101-181) The invention relates to multi-color rotogravure or intaglio printing presses for printing on carton blank web stock.

In the usual multi-color rotogravure printing presses for printing on newsprint or other thin sheet stock the electric eye controlled compensating rollers used in securing the desired tensioning of the stock as it is carried between the printing cylinder and impression cylinder insure proper registry of the printing cylinders of the diffrent color units relative to each other, but the printing of carton blank web stock by multi-color units presents a different problem because the web itself acts as a driver or belt to impart a rotary movement to the printing cylinder with the result that unless the gear drive connections to the different printing cylinders are individually free of back lash, true registry cannot be obtained, since the tensile strength of the web and the tension of the web can take the drive away from the printing cylinder, that is, it can overpower the drive to the extent of the backlash that may exist in the drive. One object of the present invention is to provide gear drive connections from a common drive shaft to a series of press units which will insure that each of said gear drive connections are substantially free of backlash and may be kept in this condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for insuring proper horizontal alinement in a lengthwise direction of the printing cylinders relative to each other to insure registry.

. In the treating of the printing cylinders the matter to be printed is placed thereon with reference to a plane extending lengthwise of the cylinder and passing through the axis of this cylinder. It sometimes happens that the printed matter may not be exactly alined with this datum plane, and in case this occurs it is necessary to angularly adjust the printing cylinder horizontally from one end so that this printed matter will properly aline with that of correctly placed matter on the other cylinders, and a further object of the invention is to provide means for adjustingthe printing cylinder whose printed matter is not accurately alined with its datum plane to insure correct registry with that of the other cylinders.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a ing the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an extension of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a detailed horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6, parts being broken away;

printing press embody- Patented Mar. 22, 1960 Fig. 8 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the broken line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a series of connected together printing cylinder drive units, parts being broken away;

Fig. 11 is an elevation of a printing cylinder assembly.

Fig. 1 shows by a three color press unit in diagrammatic form, the progress of the web stock through the press. The web W after being fed oif of the supply roll and usually thorugh a decurler is lead through a series of feed rolls A, B and C to and over a take up or tensioning roll D from which it passes to a guide roll E and thence past cleaner rolls F to and over guide rolls G, H, I and J to and around an impression cylinder K of the first color unit, past a fixed positioned tension roller L to and over guide rolls Ma, N, O, P and Q to a compensating roll R, whose position is controlled by an electric eye S, to and around the impression cylinder T of the second color unit to and over guide rolls U, V, W, X and Y to a compensating roll Z, whose position is controlled by an electric eye S1 to and around the impression cylinder AA of the third color unit to and over guide roll AB, a take up or tensioning roll AC and through a series of feed rolls AD, AE and AF to and around a swinging guide roll AG and thence through other feed mechanism to the blanking press, not shown. During its course of travel the web is subjected to a drying heat from heater HH.

the ink therefrom.

Each of the printing cylinders 2 are driven through individual gear drive connections from a common drive source such as the electric motor M as shown in Fig. 10 wherein DC indicates generally each of the gear drive connections and each of these includes as hereinafter described a worm and Worm wheel. The worms of these connections form parts of shaft members that are coupled together by flexible coupling PC of any suitable construction and which may be similar to the coupling hereinafter described. One of the gear drive connections and its associated printing cylinder will now be described in connection with Figs. 3 to 10, inclusive.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 4, which for illustrative purposes is the right hand gear drive connection unit shown in Fig. 10, this unit includes a housing 3' which is secured to the machine frame 4 and has a front opening 5 closed by an end plate 6 secured to the housing by screw bolts 7, has an opening 8 at the back and an intermediate apertured partition 9 to which a bearing carrying collar 10 is secured by bolts 11. The upper portion of the housing has alined transverse bores 12.

Each of the drive shaft members 13 has a worm 14 formed integral therewith or secured thereto. In Fig. 2 this shaft unit is shown as journalled in opposed thrust roller bearings 15 mounted in a cage 16 at the left side of the housing and journalled at its other end in a plain roller bearing 17 mounted in a cage 18 at the right hand side of the housing. Similar journals are provided for the other units shown in Fig. 10. The ends of each of the shaft members 13 project out beyond the sides of the Each of the cages 16 and 18 are provided with a series of radially disposed openings 23 which are larger than the diameters of the clamping bolts 24 that extend through them and are anchored in the housing 3 so that 3 as shown in Fig. 7. The cage 18 carries an oil sealing ring 18a, and the cage 16 has an additional collar 16;: mounted in it .and carrying an oil sealing ring 16b, this collar being secured to the housing by the cage clamping bolts 24 and having a similar mounting on the pin and a limited swinging movement relative to the bolts. Thus the swingable mounting of each cage on the housing permits a limited amount of vertical adjustment of each cage to bring the worm 14 into no backlash driving engagement with the worrnwheel 26 keyed to a driven shaft 27 whose vertical line of centers has been previously fixed or adjusted to be in substantial alinement with the longitudinal axis of the worm shaft.

- The shaft 27 is journalled at its outer end in a pair of ball bearing journals 28 mounted in the end plate 6 and at its other end portion in a ball bearing journal 29 slideably carried by the collar 10. The bearings 28 and 29, the hub of the wormwheel 26, and spacer rings 30 and 31 are clamped together as shown in Pig. 3 between a shoulder on the shaft 27 and an end cap 32 secured to the end of the shaft 27 by screws 33 with the result that these parts will be moved with the end plate 6, the bearing journal 29 being free to slide in the collar so that the end cap when secured by the bolts'7 to the housing will position the worm wheel 27 in the desired axial alinement with the worm shaft, and for this purpose annular shims 34 may be interposed between the end plate and the housing. The initial adjustment of the shaft 27 is made to bring the medial axis of the worm wheel into alinement with the longitudinal axis of the worm wheel 26 and then the worm through the adjustment of the cages 16 and 18 is moved in driving contact with said wheel so as to take up all back lash between the two, and then the bolts 24 for these cages are tightened up so that the drive from the motor M will be directly through to the shaft 27 to thus prevent any play in the gears from interfering with the proper registry of the printed matter on the printing cylinder 2 that is driven from this shaft, the shaft 27 then being fixed against longitudinal movement. The inner races of the bearings 15 are clamped to the shaft 13 between a shoulder on-said shaft, a spacer 113a and nuts 13b in threaded engagement with said shaft.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 10, each printing cylinder 2 has stud shafts '35 and 36 connected to opposite ends thereof by bolts 37. The shaft is drivingly connected to the shaft 27 through a flexible coupling similar to the couplings 'FC and including a coupling spider 38 that may be welded or otherwise suitably secured to the inner end of the shaft 27 and indicated in dotted in Fig. 5, --a coupling spider 39 shown in Figs. 3 and 5 which has a separableclampingcollar member 40 to cooperate with a similar collar portion 41 integral with the spider 39, these last named parts being connected together and clamped to the outer end of the stud shaft 35 by clamping bolts 42 and being alined relative to each other "by a dowel pin 43. The two spiders 38 and 39 have radially extending arms radially offset with respect to each other at an angle of about forty-five degrees, and the resilient spring discs 44 are alternately connected by bolts 45 and 45 to these spiders which permits a limited angular movement in all directions of the shaft 35 relmen with he sh t 5- 'Ihe shaft 36 is journalled in roller bearings 52 whose outer races are slideably mounted in a box 53. The

4. inner races of bearings 52 are clamped between a collar 54 abutting a shoulder on said shaft and a spacer sleeve 55 engaged by the inner race of a ball bearing journal 56 that in turn is engaged by a nut 57 on the threaded outer end of the shaft 36. The outer race of the journal 56 is mounted in a recess in the hub of a handwheel 58 and is retained therein by a split retainer ring 59. The hub of the handwheel 58 has a sleeve extension 60 internally threaded to engage a tubular feed screw threaded extension 61 of the box 53.

Each of the boxes 48 and 53 are mounted in spaced parts of the frame 4. Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, in each instance the box, as shown for example in connection 'with the box 53, is mounted in a square shaped recess 62 of the frame and is urged downwardly against the base 62a of this recess and laterally toward the inner end of this recess by a'wedge member 63 that is loosely mounted on a threaded stud 64 carrying a nut 65 and a washer 66 engaging a series of conically dished spring disks 67 interposed between said washer and the base of the wedge member 63 which has a fulcrum support at 68 on the frame.

Forthe purpose of horizontal adjustment of the box 53, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 at its inner side, has a lengthwise extending groove 69 that slideably interlocks with inner end 70 of the recess 62. This recessed portion of the frame 4 is provided with a bore 71 extending normally to the base of the groove 69 to cross bore 72. A pin 73 working in the bore 71 and engaging at its outer end with the box 53 has a tapered inner end 74 engaging with a tapered or wedge surface 75 on a wedge member 76 working in the bore 72. The pin 73 is normally prevented from rotating and is retained in position in the bore by a ball detent 77 urged against a bevelled recess 78jin said pin by a spring 79. The wedge member 76hasits outer cylindrical end 80 slideably keyed in an arm 81 of a block 82 that is clamped to the frame 4 by a bolt 83. The member 76 also has a threaded portion 84 adapted to receive a feed nut 85 which on being turned will advance or retract the wedge member 76 in the bore 72, and therefore, advance or retract the pin 73 in the bore 71 sincethe spring pressed wedge member 63 is constantly acting to urge the box 53 against thisstop pin 73.

In this way if for any reason the printed matter on the cylinder '2 should not be exactly alined with reference to a longitudinal datum plane passing through the centerof the cylinder and the shafts 35 and 36 then by the means above described the box 53 may be moved inwardly or outwardly relative to the frame parts so as to bring printing parts into proper registry with similar printing parts on correctly alined printed matter of another cylinder. This slight horizontal adjustment at this end of this shaft and cylinder assembly is permitted by the coupling connecting this assembly with the shaft 27 and by the fact that the box 48 can slide relative to theframe.

Also if for :any reason any printing cylinder should not 'be in lengthwise horizontal alinement as to its printing parts with 'a previous cylinder, then the turning of the handwheel 58 in the proper direction will act to move the shaft 36 relative to the box 53 and through it move the cylinder 2 and the shaft 35 in the proper direction horizontally lengthwise of the boxes 48 and -53 to bring the cylinder 2 into correct registry position, the flexibility of the spring disks 44 permitting this lengthwisemovement of the cylinder 2 and its shafts 35 and Fig. 8 shows an adjustable doctor blade attachment DB which forms no part of the present invention.

On removal of the wedges 63 from clamping engagement with the boxes 48 and 53 and the disconnection of the spider 39 and collar 40 from the end of the shaft 35, the whole printing cylinder and its boxes v.48 and 53 may be removed as a unit from the press frame to permit the connection of a new or difierent printing cylinder with the shafts 35 and 36 and their associated parts.

We desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations may be included in the appended claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In a printing press unit of the type described for carton blank web stock, the combination with a rotary printing cylinder, of means for driving said printing cylinder including a motor driven shaft having a worm, a housing in which said shaft is mounted, a worm wheel mounted in said housing and meshing with said worm, and means for maintaining a back lash free driving engagement between said worm and worm wheel comprising spaced bearings for said worm carrying shaft, adjustably movable cages for said bearings mounted in said housing on opposite sides of said shaft to permit a movement of said worm relative to said worm wheel to a no backlash engagement therewith, and means for clamping each cage in its no backlash adjusted position.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting of each cage in said housing is a pivotal connection with said housing spaced outwardly of the opening in said housing, and the means for clamping each cage in its no backlash adjusted condition are a series of radially disposed bolts passing through enlarged openings in the peripheral portion of the cage.

3. In a printing press unit of the type described for carton blank web stock, the combination with a frame, a printing cylinder having shaft extensions, supporting journals for said shaft extensions mounted in said frame, means for adjusting said journals transversely in respect to said cylinder, a drive shaft supported in substantial longitudinal alinement with said shaft extensions and fixed against longitudinal movement, a flexiblecoupling directly connected between said drive shaft and one of said shaft extensions and adaptei to permit transverse adjustment and longitudinal movement of said cylinder and its extensions relative to said drive shaft, and means connected to the other of said shaft extensions for longitudinal movement of said cylinder to adjust its lengthwise registry position relative to the printing cylinder of another press unit.

4. In a printing press unit of the type described for carton blank web stock, the combination with a frame, a printing cylinder having shaft extensions, journals for said shaft extensions, boxes for said journals mounted for horizontal adjustment in said frame to permit proper registry of said printing cylinder, a drive shaft supported adjacent one of said shaft extensions and fixed against longitudinal movement, a flexible coupling directly connected between said drive shaft with one of said shaft extension for limited angular movement of said shaft extensions and said cylinder relative to said drive shaft, and means engageable with one of said journal boxes for adjusting said boxes in a horizontal plane relative to said frame to meet registry requirements.

5. The structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the supporting journals are mounted in journal boxes carried by said frame and the means connected to the other of said shaft extensions for longitudinal movement of said cylinder to adjust its lengthwise registry position in a feed screw connected with one of the journal boxes for said other shaft extension, and a manually adjustable handwheel rotatably mounted on said other shaft extension and in threaded engagement with said feed screw.

6. The structure as defined in claim 4, wherein the means for adjusting said one of said journal boxes in a horizontal plane relative to said frame includes a wedge member yieldingly engaged with the box to hold it in a recessed portion of said frame and urged toward the back of said recessed portion and an adjustable stop means mounted in the back of said recessed portion in engagement with said box, and means for adjusting the position of said stop means relative to said back of said recessed portion.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the stop means is a pin having wedging engagement with a movable wedge member, and the means for adjusting the position of said stop means is a feed nut having threaded engagement with said movable wedge member.

8. In a printing press unit of the type described for carton blank web stock, the combination with a frame, a printing cylinder having shaft extensions, journal boxes carried by said frame and adjustable in a horizontal plane relative thereto, journals for said shaft extensions mounted in said boxes and capable of sliding movement relative thereto, means for adjusting the position of said boxes relative to said frame to meet registry requirements, means for adjusting said printing cylinder and its shaft extensions and bearings lengthwise of said frame to meet registry requirements, a rotary shaft fixed against longitudinal movement, a worm wheel mounted on said shaft, means for supporting said shaft in driving rela tion with one of said shaft extensions, a flexible coupling connecting said rotary shaft with said one of said shaft extensions and capable of flexing to meet the above named registry requirements, a drive worm meshing with said worm wheel, and means for bringing and holding said worm in substantially no backlash driving relation with said worm wheel to maintain the desired registry.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Baumgartner June 29, 1954 

